1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a utensil for molding sushi rice for use in preparing nigiri-zushi (slightly vinegared oval-shaped rice balls with sliced raw fish, etc.), and more particularly to a utensil for molding sushi rice which has a split mold comprising a multi-cavity type lower mold member and a multi-cavity type upper mold member, and an outer frame for the split mold to removably fit in.
Cooked sushi rice is molded with a utensil of the type mentioned by placing the lower mold member into the outer frame, filling the sushi rice into a recess defined by the outer frame and the lower mold member, leveling the top of the mass of rice flush with the upper edge of the outer frame as by a bar, inserting the upper mold member into the outer frame and pushing down the upper mold member until the upper mold member fits to the lower mold member, whereby the sushi rice is molded in conformity with the shape of the mold cavity. Using the molding utensil, a plurality of rice moldings substantially equally compressed can be produced with ease. The rice molding is taken out from the molding utensil, and flesh or fish, shellfish or the like is placed on the molding to prepare nigiri-zushi.
The so-called multi-cavity type molding utensil has a plurality of molding cavities in rows. Each corner portion extending in a vertical direction may be horizontally rounded or beveled in an attempt to produce a sushi molding having a contour similar to that obtained by hand-rolling the sushi rice. However, the horizontally rounded or beveled cavity corners pose the following problem. The intersection of crisscrossed partition walls defining the cavities has an end surface in the shape of a rhombus or the like. The rhombus-like end surface of intersection is so broad that the sushi rice becomes partly lodged between the end surfaces of intersections in the lower and upper mold members on downward movement of the upper mold member, thereby failing to be molded into the desired shape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally the rounded or beveled cavity corners have not been utilized without overcoming the problem of rice lodgment. Consequently only multi-cavity type molding utensils with right-angled or angular cavity corners have been so far available. The sushi moldings obtained by such molding utensils undesirably have a contour conspicuously suggestive of moldings prepared by molding utensils.